However, state Senator Walter Timilty Jr., who worked on the bill with Canton state Rep. Bill Galvin, does not know when or if the governor will authorize the funds for the rink. Baker has approved the bond bill as a whole but still has the right to veto any individual project contained within the bill.

More than 3 years have passed since the roof collapsed at Metropolis Skating Rink. (Moira Sweetland photo)

The funds for the rink have been endorsed by both the House and Senate as well as a joint legislative committee. Both Galvin and Timilty have been heavily involved throughout the entire legislative process.

“It’s been an uphill climb, but we are still in the running. We are lobbying the executive branch,” said Timilty, who pointed to the high demand for youth and adult hockey and skating programs in the area.

The latest cost estimates for design, construction and permitting of the rink is somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million, according to a consultant’s report received by the town in June. The town, to date, has received $3.2 million in insurance proceeds but design expenses have whittled the available funds to less than $3 million.

In the meantime, the town is still awaiting word from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding its application for federal disaster funds, which could cover up to 75 percent of structural repair costs for damages incurred during the winter storms of 2015.

Selectmen Chairman Mark Porter and Town Administrator Charlie Aspinwall have both been in contact with FEMA officials concerning Canton’s application, although Porter said the timing of the agency’s decision remains an open question.

“We know we are getting the support of MEMA (Mass. Emergency Management Agency),” said Porter. “But ultimately someone in Washington, D.C. will make a decision and when, we don’t know at this time.”

Meanwhile, a design report containing actual costs is underway and Aspinwall anticipates that the report will be delivered in November. The report will be key to determining whether selectmen will need to seek additional town funding to rebuild the rink, either through the May annual town meeting or a special town meeting.

The town is also cognizant of a looming February 2019 deadline to sign a contractor or otherwise risk losing its insurance proceeds; however, Porter said Canton’s town counsel could potentially ask the insurance company for an extension.

The rink is owned by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and operated by the town under a long-term lease agreement.

There is no horizon when you are crawling through a tunnel. You put your head down and you keep going because word has it, a light could appear.

After Jaime and Bill’s loss, it was a relief to hear that their prenatal tests were just fine. This would be our third grandchild and we were well on our way to having a proper parade. And so it was, on the first day of April, Miss Anabelle Clara MacDonald made her debut.

The entire blue sky burst into glitter as we rejoiced over the little one with the dark golden curls and a mouth shaped like a perfect heart. One of the most poignant moments a parent can ever experience is when their child has a child; that’s when your child knows how you feel about them. The sun poured into the room that was filled with joy when, suddenly, our euphoria tumbled into darkness. It was as though a plummeting elevator jolted to a stop and let us off at the wrong floor.

Doctors and nurses entered the room and hovered over the baby. I kept asking, “What? What?? What???” But they didn’t answer. The room became more crowded as I tried to hide my panic.

The truth would come slowly and agonizingly. Anabelle was born with numerous medical issues — too many to count, too painful to write. The gravity in their voices caused a flash of heat to run down my head and surge through my arms. We would then discover an unbearable truth when the doctor revealed, “Anabelle has a genetic disorder so rare that no other case in the world exists.” With no name or map, together we walked blindly out of the hospital and into the wide unknown.

If you want to be inspired, just watch Anabelle’s parents, Jaime and Bill, who have championed through obstacles that no parents should ever, ever have to face. Despite countless setbacks, Miss Anabelle springs out of bed happier than a jack-in-the-box every morning. She is a completely sweet child who hugs you until you feel like you have reached up onto a cloud and caught a glimpse of heaven. She loves music; has to dance. Apparently she has a job because she often announces, “I am going to work.” She slings her caterpillar pocketbook over one shoulder that is packed with all of her necessities: plastic lipstick, half a cookie and some Legos.

This past July 13, Anabelle collapsed and was rushed to Children’s Hospital in Boston where she was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. The chances of a child being diagnosed with this life-threatening disease are “one in a million.” It is a painful, costly fight that Bill and Jaime have ahead of them.

Anabelle will face this latest obstacle as she has done in times past because she is every bit the warrior her parents have raised her to be.

My deepest gratitude for your prayers.

People have asked how they can help — I have directed them toward a GoFundMe campaign created by Bill and Jaime’s good friends. There is no greater or lesser donation when it comes from the heart: gofundme.com/the-macdonald-family.

​A new scoreboard was recently installed in center field at Canton High School’s Gibson Field. The scoreboard was sponsored by the Bank of Canton and is colored green representing CHS colors.

​The Board of Selectmen recently voted 3-2 to approve 10 additional single-day beer and wine licenses for hockey tournaments at the Canton Ice House. The licenses permit the Ice House to serve beer and wine inside a secure room from 1-9 p.m. during tournament dates in July, August, and September. Selectmen had previously approved three single-day licenses as a “trial run” for a tournament in mid July, and there were no issues or complaints about the service of alcohol during the event.

​Andrew Bryant, a senior first baseman/pitcher on this year’s Blue Hills Regional varsity baseball team, was named the MVP of the Mayflower Athletic Conference (Large Vocational Division). A Canton native and subject of a recent Canton Citizen feature story, Bryant batted .451 for the season with a slugging percentage of .647.

​Griffin Roach, a 5’11’ junior midfielder on the CHS boys lacrosse team, was named to the 2018 Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Lacrosse Team. Griffin finished the season with a team-high 49 points (31 goals and 18 assists) and led the Bulldogs to the Division 2 south sectional semifinals.

​Massachusetts law prevents landowners from holding their neighbors legally responsible for damage caused by their healthy trees. The law also allows property owners to remove any part of a tree that hangs over their property. According to an article in the Patriot Ledger, the state’s high court recently dismissed a lawsuit from a neighbor demanding money to pay for the algae buildup on his roof he alleged was caused by a 100-foot tree located on his neighbor’s property and further requesting that the branches overhanging his property be removed.

​It’s time the town of Canton builds a new swimming pool. The recent consultant report estimates the cost at nearly $5 million, but for Canton, it’s an essential town service. The present pool was built in 1976, 42 years ago.

​The town of Canton has agreed to purchase 6.9 acres of land at the Paul Revere Heritage Site using Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds that will be bonded over 10 years. In addition, the town’s Community Preservation Committee and the annual town meeting approved $325,500 to fund the installation of an irrigation system and underground electrical conduit at the Revere Heritage Site.

​Selectmen recently accepted a $5,000 donation in memory of Betty Lethin to be used by the Canton Parks & Recreation Department for swim lessons and Bolivar Pool membership passes …

Born in Boston, he was a lifelong resident of Canton. Jimmy was a 2011 graduate of Canton High School where he played hockey, lacrosse, and was the captain of the cross country team. He was an active member of St. Gerard Majella Church Youth Group where he took part in the Outreach Program and was the coordinator of the annual Kids Camp in 2011.

He went on to graduate from the University of New Hampshire in 2015 and was a member of Local 12003 and worked as a distribution technician for National Grid. Jimmy loved the outdoors and enjoyed skiing, fishing, dirt biking, and working in the yard.

Beloved son of James J. and Susan M. (Gottwald) Paschal. Brother of Casey Paschal and her fiancé, Colby Hurd, of Woburn and Jake Paschal of Canton. Grandson of William and Eleanor Gottwald of Lakeville and the late Clifford and Claire Paschal. Jimmy is survived by his girlfriend, Sarah Tubbs of Sandown, NH, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

]]>Cameron, Andrew S.http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2018/08/11/cameron-andrew-s/
Sat, 11 Aug 2018 16:34:14 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=39603It is with great sadness that the family of Andrew S. Cameron, known to friends as “Andy” or “AC,” passed away suddenly by accident on August 1, 2018, at the age of 36.

Born in South Carolina, he was then raised in Canton, attended Canton Public Schools and graduated from Canton High School, Class of 2000. Andrew worked in the plumbing industry. He enjoyed football, basketball, and camping with the family in New Hampshire and Maine.

He was the beloved son of Paula J. (Robinson) and the late David A. Cameron of Canton. Brother of Valerie Cameron and her fiancé, William Jones of Canton. Uncle of Matthew Jones of Canton. He also leaves his grandparents, Henry F. and Loretta R. Robinson of Canton and the late Alexander A. and Eileen B. Cameron. Further survived by aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Visiting hours at the Dockray & Thomas Funeral Home, 455 Washington Street, Monday, August 13, from 4-8 p.m. Funeral mass in St. John the Evangelist Church in Canton Tuesday, August 14, at 10:30 a.m. Interment Knollwood Memorial Park, Canton. Those who so desire may make memorial donations in memory of Andrew to RIZE Massachusetts (an initiative to end the opioid epidemic), 101 Huntington Ave., Suite 1300 MS 0116, Boston, MA 02199, info@rizema.org. Contributions to RIZE Massachusetts are tax-deductible. For complete obituary and to sign guestbook, see dockrayandthomasfuneralhome.com.

]]>Pleasant St. to close as work begins on Reservoir damhttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2018/08/11/selectmen-news-101/
Sat, 11 Aug 2018 15:59:49 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=39589Local motorists can expect to endure travel disruptions and detours for a lengthy period this fall as the town embarks on a major construction project to repair the Reservoir Pond dam on Pleasant Street.

A view of Reservoir Pond courtesy of George T. Comeau

Details about the project were announced at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday night, and selectmen are urging town departments to help publicize the anticipated traffic impacts as quickly as possible.

The DPW has reviewed and accepted the plans submitted by the contractor, Northern Construction, and work is slated to begin the day after Labor Day and last until the first or second week of November. During this period, Pleasant Street from Reservoir Pond to the roundabout will be closed to through traffic with two major detours installed at Sherman/Washington streets and Pleasant/Washington streets.

Construction crews will be working five days a week, but DPW Superintendent Mike Trotta said the road closure will remain in effect seven days a week until all repairs are completed.

Residents living on Pleasant Street and adjoining side streets will be able to reach their homes, but there will be no direct access to and from the Reservoir Pond area as two main trenches will be built. School buses will also have access to student delivery routes and to the Luce School. The pond’s water level will be lowered as construction gets underway. Police officer details will be frequent for most of the construction period.

The repairs are necessary in order to address “seepage” issues that were first identified by the town’s consulting engineer, Stephens Associates, in early 2017. Construction was initially slated to begin last fall, but the project was put on hold after bids came in higher than anticipated. A total of $1.25 million has since been earmarked for the project through debt capital appropriations at the 2017 and 2018 annual town meetings.

Previous repairs were completed in 2012 by the pond and dam’s former owner, the Napleton Co., but engineers from Stephens Associates found that the repairs did not fully address the problem. Selectmen have met in executive session several times over the past two years in an attempt to reach a settlement with Napleton over dam repair costs …

See this week’s Canton Citizen for more highlights from the August 7 selectmen’s meeting. Not a subscriber? Click here to order your subscription today (also available in digital form).

Canton Community Theatre presented Stephen Sondheim’s Company, the award-winning Broadway musical comedy, over a six-show run at the CCT’s Village Shoppes location. The local production was directed by Renee Hanscom and featured several Canton performers.

See this week’s Citizen for more play photos by Michelle Stark. Click here to order your subscription today.

]]>Community rocked by drowning death at Reservoir Pondhttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2018/08/11/reservoir-drowning/
Sat, 11 Aug 2018 13:04:29 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=39594Editor’s note: See this week’s print edition for a tribute to Jimmy Paschal.

The Canton community remains in a state of shock and sadness following the accidental drowning death of a local resident in Reservoir Pond last week.

The body of the victim, James Paschal, 26, a lifelong resident and CHS graduate, was recovered around 2 a.m. on Thursday, August 2, following a massive search and rescue operation that lasted for more than six hours. In all, some 50 police officers, firefighters, and diving specialists from several areas departments took part in the rescue efforts.

The initial 911 call came in around 8 p.m. Wednesday evening from a Pleasant Circle resident who had witnessed the victim struggling in the water. The caller, according to police, ran to request assistance and to retrieve a life preserver, but by the time she returned the victim had sunk below the surface.

First responders from the Canton Police Department, including Chief Ken Berkowitz, immediately dived in the water near the Pleasant Circle Beach area. Also diving in were Officer Scott Brown, Lt. Chuck Rae, Det. Sgt. Mike Lank, and Officer Michael Chin. Detective Glen Piro and Officer Chip Yeaton were on shore helping to direct the swimmers.

The CFD launched its inflatable rescue boats upon arrival. Canton Police and Fire requested assistance from the State Police Air Wing and Dive Team, the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council Marine Unit, Sharon and Stoughton fire boats, and diving specialists from the Quincy Police Department. Berkowitz and Fire Chief Charles Doody coordinated the rescue effort and Det. Sgt. Paul Gallagher served as the family liaison. Acting Fire Captain Jeff O’Brien put out the call requesting mutual aid from various departments.

Doody said the victim’s boat was approximately 50 to 75 yards from shore but was drifting toward the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital. He said his body was found approximately 200 yards from Pleasant Circle Beach through a meticulous diving grid search. “We were prepared to go all night looking,” said Doody.

Both chiefs said their departments are still grieving. “We are grateful for the assistance we received from all of our partners and our condolences go out to the family,” said Berkowitz.

Regarding the rescue response, the chief said the responding officers did what any officer would have done under the circumstances. “It just happens that’s who was working that shift,” he said. “Our cops selflessly put others before themselves everyday. Our community is very lucky to have such dedicated and committed people working for our fire and police.”

“This is tough for all of us,” added Doody, “but I think the CFD and Canton Police worked great together. The communication and coordination was outstanding. We did the best we could under the circumstances.”

]]>A Look Inside: Canton Citizen’s August 9 editionhttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2018/08/11/a-look-inside-92/
Sat, 11 Aug 2018 12:21:53 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=39599Check out this week’s issue of the Citizen for the latest in Canton news, sports, events, and more. Highlights from the August 9 edition include:

* Family and friends remember Jimmy Paschal

* Highlights from the August 7 Board of Selectmen’s meeting

* Photos from the CCT production of Company by Michelle Stark

* Profile on the 2018 Paul Matthews Senior Cup winners

Also, don’t forget to check out our many weekly features, including:

* Man About Canton by Joe DeFelice

* Agent’s Corner from Canton Veterans Agent Tony Andreotti

* Recipes of the Week by Laurie Vachon

* Canton Police Log, In the Spotlight, and much more.

Not a subscriber? Click here to order your subscription today, or check out our new digital edition, the e-Citizen.

]]>PMC Kids Ride coming to Irish Cultural Centrehttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2018/08/11/pmc-kids-ride-2/
Sat, 11 Aug 2018 11:44:02 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=39620The Canton PMC Kids Ride is looking for riders for their second annual ride on Saturday, September 29, to raise money for life-saving cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund.

The Pan-Mass Challenge is an annual bike-a-thon that raises more money for charity than any single athletic fundraising event in the country. The PMC has given more than $599 million since its inception in 1980. The PMC Kids Ride now includes more than 35 towns and has raised more than $7.2 million. The event donates 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to Dana-Farber.

After a successful first year where 50 riders raised over $11,000 for the Jimmy Fund, the Canton Kids Ride is moving to a new location at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England. Kids can ride safely on this closed course loop that will go through the ICC’s campus and ride past the new TreeTop Adventures site.

It’s a great way for kids to have a fun time riding their bike while helping other kids who are undergoing treatment for cancer. The PMC channels 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to Dana-Farber’s most pressing research and patient care initiatives. Every dollar raised makes a difference because resources are directed when and where they make the most impact.

Check-in begins at 8 a.m. and there are two courses — a short loop designed for children 5 and under and those on tricycles, balance bikes, and big wheels, and a one-mile loop designed for all other riders. Volunteers, riders and families are also invited to attend a celebration after the ride that will include food, face-painting, music, crafts, bike decorating, raffles and more. Ride sponsors and supporters Bank of Canton, Marathon Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, and Kiddie Academy of Stoughton will be there as well.